Binder



May 22,'I934. R w l,959,65l

BINDER Filed Jan. 27, 1933 Une Of th locking posts taken n the plane opposite bar 11. These posts are preferably se- '50 portion O the edge Of e g 7 between the opposite bar 11 to facilitate assembly of the 65 Patented May 22, 1934 1,959,651

BINDER Robert R. Webb, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Charles R. Hadley Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application January 27, 1933, Serial No. 653379 3 Claims. (Cl. 129-13) This invention relates to adjustable loose-leaf a post anchoring bar 11. It will be observed binders in which the" loose leaves are clamped from Figure 3 that the front edge of the outer between two cover members joined by posts or plate 10 is curved inwardly to correspond with pillars extending through apertures provided the curvature of the rearwardly bent edge 7 of' 5 therefor in the loose leaves. the element 5. The rear edge 12 of cover plate 51 An object of the invention is to provide a is bent inwardly at right angles to the outer reliable binder that is inexpensive to manufacface of the short leg 7 and then parallel thereto ture, is simple to handle and is positive in opto engage With the rear edge of the bar 11. The eration. element 5, the cover plate 10 and the post an- 10 Another object is to provide a binder having choring bar 11 constituting each clamping plate a gravity operated looking mechanism that 1 are firmly secured together by rivets 13 passing functions in a positive manner and yet permits through apertures provided therefor in the vavarying the opening between the cover members rious elements. by very small increments. Referring now to Figure 2, the opposite clamp- Other objects and features of the invention will ing plates 1 are secured together for movement be apparent from the following detailed descriptoward and away from each other by a plurality 70 tion which refers to the drawing. of telescoping posts secured to the post anchor- In the'drawing: ing bars 11. Two types of posts are preferably Figure 1 s a P p v View Of az portion O used, the outer posts 14 in Figure 2, each cona binder in accordance with my invention. taining a spiral spring 15 therewithin for nor- Figure 2 is a Sectional V ew taken n a plane mally forcing the two clamping plates 1 apart through the posts of the binder. and the two inner posts 16 comprising a looking Figure 3 is a d t S t o a V eW throughone mechanism for preventing, under certain condi- Of the damping plates taken n t p a III-III tions, relatve outward movement of the clampof Figure 2. ing plates 1.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view showing the E ch pair of posts 14 comprises an outer post interlocking members of one of the looking posts 17 and n inn r post 18, one end of post 17 of the binder, and being anchored to one of the bars 11 and the Figure 5 is adetail cross-sectional view through opposite d of post 1 being a h d to th of Figure 4. i cured in their respective anchoring bars by forc- Referring 130 Figure my binder COmpTiSeS a ing them through apertures in the bars slightly p O damping plates designated generally al? smaller than the outer diameters of the posts 1 for damp the ends Of 10056 leaves 2, With and flaring the inner ends of the posts outwardly heavy c ve leaves 3 hinged tO the damping to prevent their withdrawal from the bars. The p at 1 by hinges designated generally aut outer posts 17 are provided with plugs 19 at their Referr g t moment Figure 3, each inner ends to' constitute thrust plates for the clamping plate 1 comprises asheet metal element prings 15 The opposite d of th Springs 5 bent into L-shape as shown, the long leg 6 Of bear against similar thrust plates 20 adjacent the L extending inwardly and forming a base the ends of t smaller tubes 1 r plate to protect the rear edge-s of the loose leaves Each looking post assembly 1 comprises an 2. The long legs 6 of the elements 5 on opposite outer hollow post 21 and an inner post 22 sides of the binder overlap as shown in Figure cured to the Opposite anchoring bars IL The 1. The short legs 7 of the L-shaped elements 5 Outer posts 21 may be secured to the anchoring constitute the faces juxtaposed to the loose leaves bar by forcing them inte apertures n the bar 1.00 COmDTeSSng the The free edge 7a slightly smaller than the outside diameters of each Short leg 7 is sm adjacent each end and the posts and flaring the inner ends as described the portions beyond the slit curled as shown at n connection t t posts 17 and 1 The 8 in Figure 1 to e COVeI hinge D The inner posts 22 are preferably threaded into the slits is folded back t o engage the outer surface binder, The inner surface of each oute post of an outer cover plate 10 (Figure 3). The outer 21 i provided with arse scr th d cover plate 10 has each end turned inwardly to stantially throughout its length as shown at 23, contact with the outer face of the short leg 7 of and is provided with a shoulder 24 at its outer the element 5 and thereby form an enclosure for end to prevent complete withdrawal of the inner post 22 therefrom, the latter having an enlarged end 25 engageable with shoulder 24.

Referring now to Figure 4, the enlarged end 25 of each inner post 22 is dimensioned to slide readily within the threaded portion of the outer post 21, and is provided with three recesses 26 symmetrically positioned about the post as shown in Figure 5. Each recess 26 is preferably formed by drilling into the enlarged end 25 at an angle. Positioned in each recess 26 is a ball 27 of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the recesses so that it is free to move longitudinally in the recess. Each recess 26 is of sufficient depth to contain the ball 27 substantially within the outer circumference of the enlarged portion 25 when the binder is positioned with the posts vertical and the enlarged ends 25 of posts 22 uppermost. Under these conditions the various balls 27 in the recesses 26 of the binder posts all lie in the inner ends of the recesses out of contact'with the threaded inner surfaces of the outer posts 21. There'is therefore nothing to prevent separation of the opposite clamping plates 1 and the latter will be forced apart by the springs 15 in the posts 14 until the enlarged heads 25 on the posts 22 engage with the shoulders 24 of the outer posts 21.

When it is desired tc force the plates 1 together and retain them in clamping position against loose leaves therebetween, the entire binder is inverted from the position last described so that the enlarged ends 25 of the posts 22 are lowermost. In this position the balls 27 are urged by gravity outwardly along the inclined recesses 26 so that they lie against the threaded inner surfaces of the outer posts 21. If the uppermost clamping plate 1 is then forced downwardly, the posts 22 are moved downwardly within the posts 21 and the balls 27 move inwardly in their recesses as they engage successive threads on the inner surface of the posts 21. The balls therefore offer no resistance to inward movement of the posts 22. However, when the cover plates have been moved sufficiently close together and the pressure thereon is released, the cover plates tend to separate because of the pressure exerted by the springs 15 and by the loose leaves 2. This tends to cause the inner posts 22 to move outwardly within the posts 21. Such movement, however, is immediately prevented because one or the other of the balls 27 will immediately Wedge between the inner Wall of its recess and a thread on the outer post 21. The clamping plates 1 are thereby locked firmly against outward movement and the binder may be moved into any desired position.

When it is desired to release the binder the latter is turned into a position with the posts vertical and the enlarged ends 25 of the inner posts 22 uppermost, and the detent balls 27 released from engagement with the threads in the outer post 21 by compressing the plates 1 slightly together. This slight movement releases the balls 27 which were engaged with the threads in the outer posts 21 permitting them to fall into the inner ends of the recesses where they can no longer engage with the threads in the outer post. The clamping plates 1 Will then be forced apart by the springs 15 when the pressure is released.

The recesses 26 on each post 22 are similarly positioned longitudinall'y; in other words, corresponding portions of each recess lie in the same transverse plane. On the other hand, because of the pitch of the screw threads in the outer posts 21, the balls n different recesses 26 on any 'one post will engage with the threads of the outer post in different longitudinal positions of each inner post 22 within the associated outer post 21. As a result the inner post will lock with the outer post in three different positions within a longitudinal distance measured by the pitch of the screw threads. In other words, the opening between the clamping plates 1 may be varied by increments only one-third as large as they would be if only a single recess and ball were provided in each inner post 22. Of course if it is desired to make a binder adjustable by finer increments, more than three recesses may be provided on each post.

since the clamping plates 1 are constructed of pressed steel elements they would be liable to mar surfaces on which the binder is placed, were they permitted to contact with the surfaces. To prevent contact between the metal portions of the binder and a supporting surface, bearing members 28'of rubber or other suitable material are provided at each corner of the binder. These bearing members 28, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, fit between the outer ends of the short legs 7 of the elements 5 and the cover plates 10, projecting beyond the end and rear edges of the outer cover plates 10 as shown. The rear edges 12 of the outer cover plates 10 are cut away adjacent the ends to permit the bearing member 28 to project rearwardly past the surface defined by the base plates 6. Each bearing member 28 is provided with a central turret-shaped projection 29 which extends through an aperture in the outer cover plate 10. Since each bearing member 28 projects outwardly in three directions from the binder, they prevent contact between the metal parts of the binder and a fiat supporting surface in whatever position the binder may be placed. Each bearing member 28 is secured to the adjacent short leg 7 of element 5 by a rivet 30 the head of which is counter-sunk below the outer surface of the turret shaped projection 29. V Loose leaf binders for any given size of loose leaf are made with various numbers of posts, and with posts of dilferent length. My design facilitates the construction of binders of different types for the same size of loose leaf, since the same outer plates 10 may be used cn all types, and different numbers of posts may be provided by merely changing the post assemblies comprising the post anchoring bars 11 and the posts 14 and 16. If different post assemblies differ only in the length of the posts, the same elements 5 may be used with all. If the post spacings are different, it will of course be necessary to change the elements 5 or provide these elements with extra post apertures.

I claim: p

1. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of leaf clamping plates, each formed of sheet metal bent to L- shape, the long legs of the two plates overlapping to constitute the base of the binder, and the inner faces of the short legs constituting the leaf compressing faces of the binder, the free edge of each short leg being slit adjacent each end and the portions beyond the slits being curled to engage cover hinge pins, outer plates having inturned edges fitting against the outer surfaces of said short legs of said plates, the edge of each short leg between said slits being folded back over the adjacent inturned edge of the outer plate, a bar positioned between each clamping plate and its associated outer plate, cooperating telescoping posts anchored to said bars, each clamping plate having apertures for said posts to pass through,

and means for securing each outer plate to the associated clamping plate.

2. A binder construction as described in claim 1 in which each outer plate is apertured adjacent each end, the rear inturned edges are cut away at the ends and a bearing member of relatively soft material is inserted between the outer plate and the clamping plate at each end, each bearing member projecting beyond the ends of the associated outer and clamping plates rearwardly beyond the inturned edge of the cover plate, and having a raised portion in its outer face projecting through the aperture in the end of the cover plate and beyond the outer surface of the cover plate.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of leaf clamping plates formed of sheet metal, outer plates having inturned edges fitting against the outer surfaces of said leaf clamping plates to form recesses therebetween, post anchoring bars in said recesses, cooperating telescoping posts anchored to said bars, said clamping plates having apertures for said posts to pass through, means for securing each outer plate to its associated clamping plate and post anchoring bar, spaced apart portions of one edge of each clamping plate eX- tending beyond the adjacent inturned edge of the associated outer plate and curled to engage a cover hinge pin, and the edge portions of each of said clamping plates between said spaced-apart portions being bent back over the adjacent inturned edge of the associated outer plate.

RBERT R. WEBB. 

